Ramsey streets ahead for Wales

AARON RAMSEY will start his first World Cup game tomorrow at the age of 18 with Germany to beat and a Welsh nation to impress.

Ramsey has not even begun a Premier League game for Arsenal, but he is manager John Toshack’s answer to the dismal defeat by Finland.

Toshack, whose lifetime in football has told him that miracles very rarely come to a team’s aid, says Wales, fourth in Group Four, are out of the World Cup. But Ramsey, with a new-boy’s optimism, refuses to accept that.

He will be in midfield for the qualifier against group favourites Germany, but says neither they, nor the presence of Michael Ballack opposite him, will be a worry.

Ramsey is recognised by Toshack as an outstanding talent. After an apprenticeship in Brian Flynn’s Under-17 and Under-21 squads, Ramsey was given parts to play in Wales’ last two senior friendlies, making his debut against Denmark and then playing against Poland, in readiness for this step up.

It is a big promotion too, and not just because of the scale of the opposition. The way Wales ineptly folded against Finland raised question marks against the young team Toshack has built.

Toshack believed Wales were ready to beat Finland and go chasing Germany and Russia to qualify, but they were not and it has left the Welsh public sceptical of the exciting promises made.

The danger is that Ramsey is now seen as a hero coming to the rescue of his country. Ramsey side-stepped the question that he could be the new Ryan Giggs, saying he paid no attention to what was written or said about him.

But Wales do need a reason to believe in themselves again and Ramsey will be given a run to see if he can become the fulcrum of the side. Being involved for Arsenal in European games will have widened his game.

There could be another FA Cup final on offer as well to follow playing for Cardiff at Wembley last season – the second youngest player ever to do so – but Ramsey has never kicked off in a Premier League game and that is a disadvantage to overcome.

West Ham defender James Collins, Wales’ best player against Finland, said the time is right for Ramsey to be given his chance. “He is a fantastic player,” said Collins. “He would not have moved to Arsenal if he did not have that quality.

“Ramsey will be a world-class player. It is all about him getting experience at the moment.”

Ramsey cost Arsenal £5million just under a year ago and Arsene Wenger is being patient with him, as he was with Theo Walcott. But Wales are looking for a quicker dividend.

“I’m ready for when my chance comes, to try to take it, whether that be on Wednesday or in the next qualifying game,” said Ramsey, who will not be 19 for another nine months.

“We have a great bunch of young players coming through now, so Welsh football is looking good for the future and, hopefully, now we can kick on and get as many points as we can to give us a chance of qualifying.

“Training with world-class players every day at Arsenal has helped me improve and I’ve learnt a lot, so that can only be a good thing for when I come away with Wales.

“I’ve played in Champions League games and it has put me in good stead for the future. Arsene Wenger has talked to me about the Wales games when I’ve got back to the club.

“He has won so much as a manager he is a big help to me. But for the rest of it, what’s written or said about me, I don’t take that much interest in.

“I do think the future is still bright for Wales. There’s a good crop of youngsters, Brian Flynn has done a good job with the younger age groups.

“You should earn the right to be given your chance. That’s all we can do, try to impress the manager playing games for our clubs. Then it’s his decision.

“You have to be able to take the opportunities whenever you are given them. So, yes, if I am given my opportunity I’ll have to take that.

“Playing against Ballack? I’m only concerned what I do on the day, no matter who the opponent is. I play with Cesc Fabregas in training every day. He’s one of the best in the world.

“We can still qualify. We have to put what happened on Saturday behind us and concentrate now on every game.”